Quite often there is a need to be able to replay/reproduce the exact instrumentation presented to the pilots of an aircraft after a flight. Furthermore, one needs to be able to present this instrumentation in the context of the particular scenario and also to be able to reconstruct the pilot's reaction to the events occurred during the flight. In addition the reaction of an airplane in response to the pilot's actions needs to be documented.
Several systems are known which are able to record aircraft parameters and store instrumentation data as a video and/or audio recording. These systems are known as flight data recorders and cockpit voice/image recorders. They are usually placed in an aircraft for the purpose of facilitating the investigation of an aircraft accident or incident. In newer aircrafts installation of cockpit image recorders has been proposed to provide a video recording of the instruments within the cockpit. Such systems typically consist of a camera and microphone located in the cockpit to continuously record cockpit instrumentation, the outside viewing area, engine sounds, radio communications, and ambient cockpit sounds. After an accident or incident, the flight data recorders and cockpit voice/image recorders are retrieved and a video and/or audio recording made during the flight is reconstructed along with recorded flight parameters.
However, known systems suffer from the major drawback that since they record aircraft parameters and an audio and/or video feed they can't reliably reproduce the instruments exactly as shown to the pilot. This is due to the fact that the video images recorded might be blurred, the camera view might be blocked, etc. or generally of low quality. Furthermore, due to the high storage capacity requirements for a video recording covering all instruments, either the length of such a recording is limited, or some of the instruments are not covered by the video recording.
Furthermore, the reconstruction of the onboard instrumentation based on a video recording is a very time-consuming procedure prone to errors.
In an attempt to overcome these disadvantages, another kind of known system records merely aircraft parameters on the bases of which such onboard instruments are constructed. These instruments are then to be reconstructed based on the recorded parameters. However, relying merely on the set of recorded parameters does not necessarily allow a faithful reconstruction of the onboard instrumentation. One cause for this is the malfunction of the avionics systems of the aircraft.
A special field where such a reconstruction of onboard reconstruction is frequently performed is in the field of training aircrafts where the exact training environment is reconstructed for debrief and training analysis purposes. This field of application poses special requirements on such recording and replay systems, such as their ability to allow a quick and reliable reconstruction of the training environment including onboard instrumentation but also of visual and audible alerts received through different channels of onboard avionics systems. Furthermore, such systems must be able to be reused numerous times and their processing should be as straight-forward as possible.
Such training aircrafts are provided with a so-called mission computer as well with an operational flight program defining the training scenario performed by the pilot/trainee. Therefore, the recorded instrument data needs to be recorded in relation with this scenario since the onboard instruments are always in relation with the operational flight program and only make sense in this context.
The objective of the present invention is thus to provide a recording and replay system for an aircraft that is able to reliably reconstruct the onboard instruments of an aircraft, preferably a training aircraft, comprising a mission computer with an operational flight program. A further objective of the invention is to ensure that the onboard instrumentation is easy to reconstruct and can store instrument data covering a prolonged period of time.
Furthermore it is an objective of the present invention to provide a method for reproduction of onboard instrumentation of an aircraft able to reliably reconstruct the onboard instruments of an aircraft, preferably a training aircraft. Said method should allow quick reconstruction of onboard instruments of an aircraft brought in relation with an operational flight program of a mission computer of the aircraft.